Marco Rubio on the Issues

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Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, on Capitol Hill in February.CreditCreditJabin Botsford/The New York Times

By The New York Times

April 13, 2015

Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, who announced Monday that he is running for president, has spent much of his first term in Congress working on immigration legislation and pressing for a muscular foreign policy. Here is a look at his positions on some of the issues that could drive the 2016 presidential campaign.

Foreign Policy

Mr. Rubio has called for a more robust American role in confronting countries like Iran, North Korea and Russia, saying the United States has a singular obligation to “stand up to the spread of totalitarianism.” He has faulted the Obama administration for not being tough enough with Russia over its confrontation with Ukraine.

On the Middle East, Mr. Rubio has suggested that military action might be necessary to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and has said the United States should have done more to help the more moderate rebels fighting the Syrian government. He has criticized the administration’s recent treatment of Israel as a “historic and tragic mistake.”

Mr. Rubio, a Cuban-American, opposes the Obama administration’s outreach to Cuba, saying it will not end political repression there. He generally supports foreign aid and believes global bodies like the United Nations play a valuable role in international relations.

Immigration

Mr. Rubio has said he believes in a “path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants, and he helped write the bipartisan 2013 immigration legislation that passed the Senate but died in the House. More recently, after facing criticism from fellow Republicans, he has said the nation’s borders must first be further secured to prevent illegal immigration before a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration system is enacted. He opposed President Obama’s 2014 executive actions on immigration, saying they undercut efforts at such an approach.

The Environment

The senator said in a 2014 interview with ABC’s “This Week,” that he did not believe “that human activity is causing these dramatic changes to our climate.” He also generally opposes laws to combat climate change, saying they will not “change the weather” and could instead harm the economy. In addressing whether global warming is caused by human activity, he has used a line favored by many Republicans: “I’m not a scientist.”

Same-Sex Marriage

Mr. Rubio opposes same-sex marriage, saying he believes “the institution of marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman.” He has criticized judicial rulings overturning bans on same-sex marriage, but he says he opposes discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The Economy

Mr. Rubio wants to loosen government regulation, particularly on energy production and the Internet, and he seeks to cut corporate taxes by letting businesses immediately deduct their capital expenses to spur investment. He would reduce tax rates for most taxpayers and broaden child tax credits. He seeks to promote trade by giving the president more authority over trade pacts.